I'm starting to get worried about how aggresive Igor is toward the other rats. I have two babies lined up for adoption in a few weeks but now I'm not so sure about introducing them to Igor.
I rearranged the dining room last night and moved the dining table out (we're getting ready to move) and moved the rat cages around a bit. I put the two cages right next to each other (they've been that way before with no problems). Well Igor had a temper tantrum last night, I'll describe what he did...
First he walked up and down the length of the shelf that was next to the other cage. The other rats weren't even the least bit interested in him. They know he is kind of a jerk and they don't even want to say hi. So Igor meanwhile is pacing back and forth up and down the cage, and then he starts puffing his fur all out. He started making these huffing and puffing type of noises then started digging madly and biting the bars of his cage trying to get out and to that other cage. When he gets like this it takes a lot to calm him down. I can't touch him at all when he is angry like this or he'll bite. He also knows what it means when the gloves come out and I don't want to cause him any more stress than he is already under.
So he is huffing and puffing, digging and biting, trying to get out of his cage and over to the other cage, he is so angry. I ended up having to put a peice of thick cardboard in between the cages so he couldn't see over there. He was still upset for a while but eventually calmed down and let me pet him again.
What is it with his anger issues? I've had rats in the past like this and they are notorious for killing baby rats in these angry fits.
I rearranged the dining room last night and moved the dining table out (we're getting ready to move) and moved the rat cages around a bit. I put the two cages right next to each other (they've been that way before with no problems). Well Igor had a temper tantrum last night, I'll describe what he did...
First he walked up and down the length of the shelf that was next to the other cage. The other rats weren't even the least bit interested in him. They know he is kind of a jerk and they don't even want to say hi. So Igor meanwhile is pacing back and forth up and down the cage, and then he starts puffing his fur all out. He started making these huffing and puffing type of noises then started digging madly and biting the bars of his cage trying to get out and to that other cage. When he gets like this it takes a lot to calm him down. I can't touch him at all when he is angry like this or he'll bite. He also knows what it means when the gloves come out and I don't want to cause him any more stress than he is already under.
So he is huffing and puffing, digging and biting, trying to get out of his cage and over to the other cage, he is so angry. I ended up having to put a peice of thick cardboard in between the cages so he couldn't see over there. He was still upset for a while but eventually calmed down and let me pet him again.
What is it with his anger issues? I've had rats in the past like this and they are notorious for killing baby rats in these angry fits.
